Laughter, Art, and a New Library at the BK Kee Patient House

Our regular social visits to the B.K. Kee Patient House this spring have been especially lively and heartwarming, with new memories made and major progress on an exciting new project: the expansion of the patient house library.

We kicked off April with “B.K. Kee’s Got Talent” on the 6th. As always, the atmosphere began with a touch of hesitation, some patients and caregivers were shy, unsure whether to join in. But within minutes, the room came alive with song, dance, and contagious laughter. One young girl even danced on the table while her proud dad watched from the sidelines. Smiles were everywhere, and it was a beautiful reminder of how quickly joy can blossom when people feel safe and supported.

Two weeks later, on April 20th, we gathered again, this time for puzzles. One boy was thrilled with a new building kit that functioned like a 3D puzzle, while others teamed up to complete more traditional ones. By May 4th, we turned to art: pencils, markers, crayons, paint, sticker art - you name it. Coloring books were available, but the older kids gravitated toward expressive freehand work. One brave young girl, despite having her arm in a sling, jumped into the creative fun undeterred.

Expanding Minds and Walls

In the background of these joyful visits has been our major effort to expand the house’s modest 3-meter-square library. After our wall-painting party in February, we kicked off a successful fundraising campaign throughout March and April. With tremendous support from the community, we raised half the 389,000 baht needed. The rest came from the Bob Carroll Memorial Fund, a gift left by former CMIRC member Bob Carroll for the Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and CMIRC’s water safety initiatives.

Construction officially began on April 19th. By the time we returned on April 20th, demolition was already in full swing. On May 4th, we saw significant progress: a new roof installed, the old ceiling removed, and an open-air porch added to the women’s quarters. The foundation and new concrete floors were complete, and walls were up with door and window frames set in place. We’re eagerly awaiting our next visit on May 18th, where we’ll play Bingo and share snacks amidst the construction buzz.

Help Us Fill the Shelves!

As the building nears completion, targeted for June 19th, we’re shifting our focus to filling the new space. We welcome donations of books in Thai, Burmese, and English (especially children’s books), as well as computers, shelves, and furniture. I’ll be contributing a bookcase and an HP multi-function tank printer myself, and we’d be grateful for any other contributions, large or small.

Monetary donations are also still welcome and very much appreciated.

We’ll celebrate the grand opening of the new library on June 29th during our regular visit. It will be a small gathering, but all contributors and Rotarians are warmly invited to join us in this milestone moment.

Thank You

A heartfelt thank you goes out to RTN, Andrew Boud, and his wife Colleen for their ongoing support of the B.K. Kee Patient House.

Together, we’re building more than just a library, we’re building hope, joy, and opportunity for the children and families who pass through the B.K. Kee Patient House.

Contact for donations or more information:

Gary Herman – garyherman23@gmail.com